Goodbye
by arjane
Summary: Shika what would you sacrifice for a friend who needs your help?The sudden question took him by surprise. He wasn't prepared for such an interrogation let alone asked by none other than Ino!


_First attempt to write a one-shot with this couple! I planned it as a one-shot but I might continue it! You can decide!-_

_It didn't turn out like I wanted it to be but… just read and tell me what you think!_

_I had a hard time with the beginning but in the end it got better!_

_Sorry for mistakes! English is my third language!_

* * *

**Goodbye**

The streets were empty at this late hour. All lights were spent and only the half moon brightened the village in a dim light. One lonely shadow searched his way from house to house. The slim form was barely visibly as it leaped beneath a rooftop in front of a open window. With ease slipped the figure in the dark room – evading all the traps around the window to prevent some serious damage and alert the inhabitants. The person watched the dark room. A desk, a cabinet, a bed. A poor furnishing but it served his purpose. People living here don't have time to be vain about their belongings.

_This is the first and last time __I'm here. And this should be the easiest part in the plan._

With a last sigh the figure approached the bed and the person laying on it. In the faint light a shape of spiky dark brown hair, tied up in a ponytail was visibly under the blanket.

_I__s it even to troublesome for him to take down his hair at night!_

The intruder sat down on the bedside and shook the sleeper with little force. A grumbling noise was the answer.

"Shikamaru! Wake up! Now!" The voice failed to keep a mere whisper.

Another groaning and finally the Nara opened his eyes. After blinking away the last sleep he sat up in his bed glaring at his nocturnal guest. Recognizing the person he said...

"OK. Give me ten minutes and I'm ready!"

His hand took away his blanket with the intention to get up but a smaller hand blocked his way.

"It's not a mission Shika! I'm here for another reason."

Confused hazel orbs met deep blue ones.

"Listen I…I'm…What I want to say it's…It's just that I…I…"

Silent. She couldn't't do it. She planned every detail for this moment. It never before caused her so much effort to lie to her team mates but tonight is different…

She felt his curious gaze on her and it made her all the more discomforting. With a sigh he laid down and slipped to the other side of the bed making space for her.

Whatever brought Ino in the middle of the night to his room he hoped this all would be over soon so he could at least catch a few hours sleep before dawn.

The blonde stared a second at his barely visibly form but then followed his mute invitation and crawled under the blanket.

Minutes went by and only their rhythmic breaths could be heard.

Suddenly…

"Will you tell me what trouble causes you to break in my room past midnight without an acceptable excuse or will you just lie here until morning? Oh wait! How in the hell did you get past the traps on the window? I checked them before I went to bed and they wer…"

"Shika what would you sacrifice for a friend who needs your help?"

The sudden question took him by surprise. He wasn't prepared for such an interrogation let alone asked by none other then Ino!

Puzzled he asked:

"What do you mean?"

"Just answer my question Shika, with all your sincerity!"

"For my friend…" he mused aloud but already knew the answer. He looked at her back who was facing him. Her shoulders were tense and she seemed to be rather nervous.

_If it means a lot to you then…_

"…I would give my life." he said with all the seriousness he could manage in his voice.

Instantly her form relaxed under the sheets as if she had dreaded another answer.

Slowly she turned to face him. He laid on his back staring at the ceiling but as soon as he felt her gaze on him he closed his eyes. Something kept him from looking at her. From what he could tell her demeanor has changed from a minute before. She was way too serious to be the usual Ino he knew. Something really bad must trouble her.

He slightly shifted in the bed masking his own unease.

"You wouldn't regret your decision?"

Again. This dead serious voice. He couldn't't help but feel a cold grasp at his chest. He didn't like the way this conversation was going. Hiding his growing concern he got up and looked annoyed at his team mate.

"No Ino! I would not regret saving a friend by all means! I would do it because I know I would never be able to look at myself in the mirror if I'd be a coward and run away!"

At this point Shikamaru was more than simply annoyed. Not only Inos visit in the middle of the night but also her strange behavior was troubling him. He was tired and wanted a few hours of sleep before a new straining day began.

Hesitating he looked back at his long-time team mate. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be deep in thought about his previous statement. She lay on her side facing him and the dim light in his room made her bright blond hair quite a few shades darker. Observing Ino for the first time more precise this night he noticed she wore not her usual purple clothes.

The black shirt and pants made her skin paler than normal.

He frowned.

This was completely a new side of Ino.

And he didn't like it!

"Ino…what's wrong?" he voiced his concern over the female.

Her eyes opened and she sat up to face Shikamaru.

Whatever answer he expected this wasn't on his list.

Every track of tiredness left Shikamarus body the moment Ino placed her lips on his.

* * *

_  
A hint of pink was all she could see in the crowd._

_Against all good manners she made her way past the people who blocked the view._

_Words of protest came to her ear but she didn't care once her _target _was right before her._

_Full of anticipation she called out._

_"Now now, if this isn't big forehead! Already back f__rom your mission? I bet some genin team would have made it faster!"_

_The girl before her came to an halt hearing the teasing words. But she didn't turn around._

_That left the other kunoichi a little dumbfounded. Did she go too far with the genin mention?_

_But __this were only their regular antics. _She_ would provoke and wait for a retort. No harm in small teasing! Or that's what she thought until then._

_Quickly she added:_

_"Sakura, you know I didn't …"_

_"Ino…" the other kunoichi interrupted her._

_And finally she decided to turn around to face the blond._

_Her short roseate locks were frayed and her clothes covered in dust. Small cuts and bruises spread across her skin but no serious wounds. Her face was deathly pale and weary._

_But Ino wasn't relieved seeing that the girl didn't suffer some serious damage from the mission._

_It was the sight of her __two jade eyes that left her speechless._

_They hold so much sorrow that it was clearly something bad happened._

_Ino said nothing. She just stared at those lost eyes and__ an unpleasant feeling spread through her whole body._

_She knew this look. She had seen it years ago from the same person standing right before her. _

_Only one person in this world could turn Sakura__ into that kind of state she was right now._

_"…Sasuke…"_

* * *

The world around him stopped for a few seconds only to be turned upside down by this one and only annoying team mate of his. 

He was a well-known genius but that didn't help him figuring out what induced the blond to suddenly combine his mouth with hers.

_Was this some sort of a joke?_

He felt soft trembling lips against his but they were nonetheless determined to continue what they had started.

It was a clumsy innocent kiss which burst a storm in Shikamarus mind.

His over and over praised intelligence seemed to has abandoned him the moment Ino's lips began to cling on him desperately. They begged mutely for more. And he complied the silent plea.

With his remaining brains he wondered why he was suddenly on top of her and she underneath him, eyes closed and arms around his neck, urging him to come closer.

He lost whatever doubts he had about his doing, as Ino escaped the softest of moan he'd ever heard.

It was barely audible that he thought his mind played some tricks on him.

But even if it was some kind of hallucination, he wanted to hear it again.

_

* * *

_

_"What are you doing?" a worried gaze._

_"Packing. I'm leaving!" a harsh answer._

_"Sakura you can't…"_

_"Don't tell me what I can or not! I'm not a child anymore! I don't need anyone's protection! I…I can do this…"_

_A long pause. Then…_

_"You didn't see him. You don't know how much he's in pain even if he tries to hide it! But… I saw it."_

_"Sakura…"_

_"He's lost! And I'm not going to let him get away like last time!"_

_"What are you going to tell Naruto? He'll not let you go without him!"_

_"I know…" a soft whisper._

_"I'm not telling him! Tsunade-shishou believes it's an expedition. I have seven months from now on."_

_"I don't want you __to go by your own!"_

_"Ino, I'm fully capable to look after myself and Naruto has his own duties here in Konoha besides…"_

_"Who said something about Naruto?"_

_Two raised eyebrows and a perky smirk._

* * *

This was definitely not what she'd planned! 

_This __is so wrong! _

It kept repeating in her mind. Over and over again.

And still. Perhaps this was the only thing she could do. Knowing full well that their relation would be forever changed with this night.

But she didn't want to think about the consequences now. This could be her last night in Konoha and she wanted to spent it with a precious person.

Shikamaru was despite his laziness an important person in her life. Over the years she had come to appreciate him, respect him, to trust him. Like he said, he would give his life for his friends, that included her as well.

He was one of the few persons Ino felt secure with. It didn't feel strange lying in his bed, being hold by his arms and kissing Shikamaru.

On this night, seventeen year old Yamanaka Ino gave him her first kiss and she didn't regret it.

She was glad he took it without questioning her further.

Ino used to be a hopeless romantic. Since childhood she dreamed of the perfect moment and the perfect guy she would share the most important event in a girls life. The first kiss.

All those puerile fantasies were gone with her growth. Being a Konoha kunoichi didn't mean to live fairy tales. It meant hard work and constant training to survive in the Shinobis world.

Her notion of a kiss was very naïve. She thought it a dream like state. Something far from reality. Something that was beyond her comprehension.

She was wrong!

A kiss was nothing like a dream. It was real. She could feel it, she could describe it, she could even touch it.

Whoever said a kiss would let you feel to be on cloud nine was mistaken.

All her senses never worked better!

She could feel the cool sheets she was lying on, the warmth and softness coming from the lips onto hers, hear the faintest noise both of them were making.

It wasn't even near her imagination how a first kiss could be.

But what stunned her the most was the raw emotion Shikamaru put into their kiss.

It was drowning her. As if he was trying to devolve all his feelings into her. Feelings she couldn't't decipher.

She'd never felt something similar and didn't expect Shikamaru to be capable of such intense sentiments.

This wasn't her long time team mate she knew. This wasn't the always lazy and calm Shikamaru she knew for years.

It scared her to death!

Did he knew what he was doing to her?

With every touch, every gentle kiss he was becoming more and more off a different person.

She didn't know how to react to this new Shikamaru.

When she felt his hands roaming over her body she grew stiff.

She opened her eyes just to see that Shikamaru already had opened his and was watching her intensely. They detached their lightly swollen lips.

A frown was beginning to rise on Shikamarus front. Eyes narrowed and looking demanding at the woman underneath him.

He inwardly scolded himself. Ino kissing him was one trouble but he himself loosing control was yet another. As much as he disliked discussing with Ino, all the more he disliked it letting matters remained unsolved.

He wanted answers. Now.

But she spoke before he had a chance. And that penetrating look she gave him left him without words.

"Shika…"

That simple nickname leaving her mouth made his head spinning. Still dazed from the previous action he tried not to focus on her lips but instead on the words forming on them.

"…Can I stay here for the night?"

That cleared his mind in no time.

Unable to voice his thoughts he nodded dull. Again he shifted to one side of the bed turning his back to her, not wanting to see her.

Disappointed and confused he drifted off to sleep. But not before promising to himself to talk as soon as possible with Ino about what happened tonight.

He was clearly too immersed in his own train of thoughts to noting the sad stare, which was directed at his form.

Long after he fell asleep Ino got up and took a last look at him. She slipped noiseless out of the bed and went to the open window.

The half moon was hidden behind a wall of dark clouds that were difficult to detect. The calm village was dipped into blackness. Only ninja of this village could possible move around the streets without getting lost.

After one deep breath the kunoichi vanished in the darkness, three words echoing in her mind.

_Don't look back!_

* * *

The village was still quiet. Nobody was awake at this early hour. 

But one lonely figure was standing on the side of the main street. Two bags were positioned by her feet. Nervously she played with the short ends of her hair. A bad habit that sometimes would gain the upper hand on the young kunoichi.

Soft steps could be heard on the empty street. The lights were too dim to recognize any particularly form but the young woman was rather mad than alarmed.

"What the hell Ino! I told you not to be late! I waited at least two hours! Are you hanging around Kakashi-sensei lately or what?"

"Well, I now understand why he wouldn't show up earlier! Geez, are you always so bold? It must be a nuisance to be teamed up with you! I wonder how Naruto could bear with you all this years! I bet one reason for leaving with Jiraya-sama…"

"Shut up Ino-pig! But seriously what took you so long?"

The blond kunoichi who was picking up one of the bags stopped in her movement but quickly continued and attached the baggage on her back.

Without one last look she began to walk down the hardly illuminated street.

Her friend followed quickly just in time to hear a whisper coming from the blond.

"I said goodbye."


End file.
